The language of memes – and how to create your own

English is a truly global language with hundreds of regional variations worldwide, including over 50 dialects of British English alone. It is also the primary language of the internet, and the virtual world has spawned its own varieties of English too. These online dialects, often spread by memes, have been around long enough now for a pattern to be identified – a path well enough worn for you to identify emerging linguistic memes – or even create your own.

How social media is changing language

From unfriend to selfie, social media is clearly having an impact on language. The words that surround us every day influence the words we use. Since so much of the written language we see is now on the screens of our computers, tablets, and smartphones, language now evolves partly through our interaction with technology.

Get Up to Speed with Online Marketing

Jon Reed’s straightforward, step-by-step guide to marketing yourself with websites, blogs, search engines, email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and more. ‘If you only read one book on online marketing, I implore you to make sure that it is this one. If you implement the strategies and tips you pick up, you will have a… Continue reading

Publishing Talk Magazine

Publishing Talk Magazine launched in July 2012 as a resource to help you to write, publish and sell books. Packed with essential advice and information, it is designed for the Publishing Talk community of authors and publishers interested in writing, social media, self-publishing, digital publishing and the future of the industry. Each issue includes exclusive interviews with… Continue reading

Dicky Star and the Garden Rule

The sound of summer is the crack of leather on willow to some. To me it means the popping of champagne corks at book launches. Last night’s literary soirée was the launch of Tony White’s Dicky Star and the Garden Rule. I’ve been to al fresco book launches before but, given the weather, I was pleased to… Continue reading

The Family Shop

I was in Edinburgh earlier this week, to speak at a conference. On the way up I had a bit of time to kill at King’s Cross station in London so, rather than have a coffee in Starbucks, I thought I’d try to find The Family Shop. Now, despite having worked in King’s Cross in… Continue reading

The Publishing Talk Guide to Twitter

Twitter is an Internet phenomenon, yet is the social media tool that confuses more than most. With an estimated 500 million users, it is a vital place to reach readers online and promote your books – but where do you start? The Publishing Talk Guide to Twitter tells you all you need to know to get started… Continue reading

Small and Mighty

This article first appeared in The Deal (the official magazine of the London Book Fair) in Spring 2009 Contrary to popular belief, small publishers are better placed to survive a recession than their larger competitors, says Jon Reed. The worst financial crisis in a century, an international banking collapse and global recession: it is enough… Continue reading

Time to Talk

This article first appeared in The Deal (the official magazine of the London Book Fair) in Spring 2008 Trade publishers should learn from their colleagues in the academic sector when it comes to online marketing, says social media expert Jon Reed. Have you updated your status today? Has anyone written on your wall? Have you… Continue reading

Publishing Talk

Publishing Talk is my blog and online community for authors and publishers. It covers social media marketing, digital publishing, self-publishing and the future of publishing. It has the largest publishing community on Twitter with over 200,000 followers, and is rated the ‘most influential’ Twitter account about publishing by the Twitter directory WeFollow.